Flier alleges he lost valuables during security check
A Muscat-bound flier, Johny Borges, 57, has alleged that his silver bracelet and a collector’s pen went missing during the security check at the Mumbai airport, on Tuesday night, and that he was warned of having to pay up a fine if he insisted on examining the CCTV camera footage.
Travelling on a Jet Airways flight 9W540, Borges, who is working in Muscat since 1983, has forwarded the complaint to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for the Mumbai airport security, and the Indian Embassy in Oman. “I placed my bags on the belt for scanning and proceeded for frisking. At this point, I noticed that my passport pouch had been opened by security personnel,” he said.
The pouch was open as it came out of the x-ray scanner, he said. “When pointed out that a pen, a Cross collector’s piece, was not there, the officials claimed that the pouch was already open and the pen might have fallen out,” he said, adding that he didn’t pursue the matter as he had to board the plane, but in the course of discussion, he mentioned wanting to check the CCTV camera footage.
On reaching Muscat, Borges was unpacking his bags when he discovered that it was not just his pen, but also a silver bracelet had been missing. “I have been travelling between Muscat and Mumbai for three decades and this is the first time that I was conned by the security officials,” Borges complained.
The CISF spokesperson, Hemendra Singh, said the agency’s airport office will probe into the complaint. “It is highly unlikely that the items were stolen at the security check-point. Our personnel are there to ensure the security of passengers and protection of their property,” he said.
Borges’s daughter, however, said the entire incident has left a bitter taste in the mouth. “The incident reflects very poorly on the security. How can you call yourself a world class amenity when your security continues to indulge in such a poor manner?” she said.
Travelling on a Jet Airways flight 9W540, Borges, who is working in Muscat since 1983, has forwarded the complaint to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for the Mumbai airport security, and the Indian Embassy in Oman. “I placed my bags on the belt for scanning and proceeded for frisking. At this point, I noticed that my passport pouch had been opened by security personnel,” he said.
The pouch was open as it came out of the x-ray scanner, he said. “When pointed out that a pen, a Cross collector’s piece, was not there, the officials claimed that the pouch was already open and the pen might have fallen out,” he said, adding that he didn’t pursue the matter as he had to board the plane, but in the course of discussion, he mentioned wanting to check the CCTV camera footage.
Borges’s daughter Jane, a journalist with a Muscat daily, alleged that the security officials told Borges that he was free to view the footage but wouldn’t be able to prove anything. “They threatened him with a fine, and made him sign on a register stating that all his bags and their contents were in order,” she said.
On reaching Muscat, Borges was unpacking his bags when he discovered that it was not just his pen, but also a silver bracelet had been missing. “I have been travelling between Muscat and Mumbai for three decades and this is the first time that I was conned by the security officials,” Borges complained.
The CISF spokesperson, Hemendra Singh, said the agency’s airport office will probe into the complaint. “It is highly unlikely that the items were stolen at the security check-point. Our personnel are there to ensure the security of passengers and protection of their property,” he said.
Borges’s daughter, however, said the entire incident has left a bitter taste in the mouth. “The incident reflects very poorly on the security. How can you call yourself a world class amenity when your security continues to indulge in such a poor manner?” she said.
